Run
by Viva2212
Summary: The gang escape the city, finding themselves in Tokyo and... okay, there's good news and bad news. The good news is: somebody made a vaccine so that you aren't essentially fucked once you're bitten. The bad news is: The dead are evolving, and a katana ain't gonna be enough to kill them. Good night... and good luck.


**Obligatory Disclaimer and Notes: This is an original fanmade story and will be borrowing elements and/or characters from Highschool of the Dead and Dying Light. I do not own these characters or the source material, and all rights go to their respective owners. This story will be following the characters of the former while they endure a setting reminiscent of the latter. Got it? Good, let's get started.**

* * *

 **Downtown Tokyo,** **Residential District** **"Hornet's Nest", 1 year post-Z-Day**

The sun sits high over a ruined town yet again, the scalding rays of sunlight illuminating the streets of a once great metropolis of a city. A place that had once been bustling with activity and life now descended into chaos and reeked of the filthy air of death infesting the streets and buildings.

Where men, women, and children had once lived, worked, and laughed happily, now only eerie and chilling silence filled the air. Buildings everywhere left and right stood in ruin, any light within their once bustling corridors snuffed out, leaving only crumbled skeletons and overgrown shells of their former splendor.

Throughout the streets, there was no sound but that of death and decay. The shuffling of feet against the asphalt roads echoed through the empty streets, accompanied by the deep growls and moans of… _them_.

Empty, mindless husks infested the city- no, the world as they knew it. No corner of the world was safe from _them_. Wherever they walked, nothing would follow, only lifelessness and ruin.

Their bodies, once filled with life, personality and all things that made one human, were long dead, as they should have been. Their skin peeled and festered, reeking of rot and decay, their eyes milky and stark, and their jaws leaking black tar and blood.

But life still existed in this city, and it was similar to a candle's flame flickering in the winter night, a light bulb hanging from the thinnest thread.

Atop the tallest building in the area, what was once another machine in the society of man, filled with laborers working tirelessly to sustain their own lives as well as that of their community, the same could be repeated in a way today.

The few survivors of what had come to be remembered as "Z-Day" and the grueling, hellish year that followed had banded together to form a new community to make their own. One in which they depended on each other to survive this hell on Earth.

On the top floor, where an open roof was located with a balcony railing, a young man stood. His appearance hadn't changed noticeably since before _they_ attacked, but Komuro Takashi was a different man.

His overall physique had superbly improved since that first day. His body was still lean and slender as ever but now outlined with toned muscle along his limbs and torso. His gaze was hardened into steel and instead of his old high school blazer, he now wore a dirty jacket, stained by his previous endeavors.

The boy gazed off into the distant skyline, watching over the neighborhood they had adopted as their safe haven. He could still spot some of _them_ lurking around the streets, moaning hoarsely and shuffling like the mindless vessels they were. It almost made him wince in disgust.

His expression was blank, but his gloved hands were tense as if prepared for anything. Spending a year fighting for survival through the hellscape Japan had become changed Komuro. He wasn't in Fujimi High School as that one loner sulking on the balcony over his crush anymore.

No, Komuro Takashi had become a loyal Hornet and a fledged runner.

Suddenly, the roar of a jet engine broke him out of his idle stupor, causing him to jerk upwards to see what he had been waiting for. However, the loud noise also awakened _them_ down in the streets, causing _their_ moans and growls to rise in volume as _they_ began to stir, shuffling in aimless droves, following the roaring noise.

Looking above him, Komuro spots the arrival of one of the GRE's many drones. Ever since the collapse of governments worldwide, some of the most level-headed survivors in that department had banded together to form the Global Relief Effort, which dropped supplementary and medical supplies in different areas of the globe.

Their main headquarters was confidential and unknown to the survivors, but the important thing to know was that different branches were stationed in various safe-zones throughout the world, and that was where the drones were from.

Komuro pulled out two binoculars and kept his eyes on the vehicle. Sure enough, he spotted what he was looking for. Two crates fell from the vehicle and tumbled through the air, before parachutes opened, trailing blue-colored smoke from an attached flare, signaling their location, marking a beacon rising into a column into the sky.

Takashi looked closer and saw they had landed on a rooftop somewhere uptown. And with that, the door to the balcony could be heard swinging open, revealing two of Komuro's fellow survivors, Saeko Busujima and Rei Miyamoto.

Saeko, too had barely changed since their high school days, but her choice in attire now matched that of Komuro's, shedding her old schoolgirl uniform and skirt for a more form-fitting choice of a jacket and track pants, accenting her curves and allowing more freedom of movement, and in addition, her long hair was tied up into a ponytail and her ever-present katana sheathed at her hip.

Rei hadn't changed much either, her antenna hairdo still present, but like Saeko, her hair was tied back to free her movement and her attire was more conventional, opting for a bomber jacket covering her arms, and freeing her waist. Her arms were now protected by pads and strapped to her back was her rifle and bayonet.

As soon as Komuro opened his mouth to say something or greet them, maybe, a rhythmic beep rang, catching his ear, prompting him to tap a button on his radio and bring the device to his ear, greeting a third friend.

"Komuro, did you catch the location of the drop?" Saya Takagi's shrill voice asked through the radio, causing the boy to sigh as he nodded for his two female companions to join his side at the balcony.

"Yeah, I did," Takashi replied, using his binoculars to spot the drop site, his eyes skimming the skyline until he locked onto his target: two GRE crates sitting on top of a distant building in the main city.

"They touched down somewhere uptown. If we don't hurry, we might not make it back for the night." Komuro noted, gripping his weapon in his hand, a metal baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire.

This statement sent a chill among the group, especially considering the weight and danger that would await them. This was not going to be easy, much less taken lightly.

"Are you sure you and the girls wanna go? This is life or death we're talking about here!" Saya protested over her coms with a raised voice, expressing her concern.

"What choice do we have?!" Komuro angrily threw back, gripping his weapon tight in his clenched fist, causing Rei and Saeko to briefly share concerned looks between themselves.

Pausing for a second, Komuro took a deep breath and regained his composure, sighing as he did so. "Look, we're running low on Antizin, and you and I both know that if we don't get this done, we might not be able to last another month for the next drop. C'mon, Takagi. We _need_ to do this."

There was a momentary silence between the two childhood friends before a drawn sigh rang out from Saya's side of the transmission. "Fine. But promise me you and the girls'll make it back here in one piece. Wouldn't want Ms. Shizuka to patch you guys up again. I'll keep in touch for you guys, 'kay? Good luck out there."

Komuro hung up on Saya as his radio buzzed, followed by silence. Turning to his two companions, Komuro flashed a daring smirk and nodded, running up to the edge of the balcony, his feet kicking up dirt as he sprinted.

Reaching the end, Komuro's body acted on instinct. Leaping up and propping his feet against the railing, he pushed off, soaring freely into the air before reaching a hand upwards to grab a handle above him.

Tied to the transmission tower atop the roof was in fact, a series of wires that stretched down to another rooftop down below in the district. Komuro reached for a zipline, feeling his fingers curl around the handle, prompting him to clench his fist, gripping it tightly.

Using his second free hand, he gripped the other side, letting gravity take care of the rest as he sped downwards into _their_ hunting grounds one more time. Turning his head to look behind him, Komuro saw Saeko and Rei doing the same as they zipped down to join him, eliciting a smile from the young runner.

As he neared the rooftop, Komuro let out a stray breath to relax before releasing his grip, curling up inwards as he barreled forwards, rolling across the surface and landing securely on his feet.

Hearing the thumps of soles against concrete, Takashi turned behind him again to observe his friends touching down safely like him. Saeko let go and executed a graceful landing on both feet, while Rei landed similarly, lurching forward from her momentum, but stopped her fall with an outstretched hand on the ground to support herself.

Smiling, Komuro waved a hand to them and kicked his feet up. "Let's go! We got a drop to catch!"

Smiling back, the two women ran to catch up to Komuro, strafing the rooftops with agility and coordination akin to a professional's. Scaling over pipelines and leaping between buildings, the trio sped towards their destination as _they_ would groan and claw at them fruitlessly from the street below.

Suddenly, Komuro's ears perked up, and his head jerked forwards to trace the origin of his suspicion, and sure enough, he could see a lone figure staggering aimlessly, advancing towards the three of them in an awkward shuffle.

The literal corpse of a man in front of them was hardly human, nor was it living. Its skin reeked of decay and disease, and its bloodied, skinned jaws lined with sharp, rotten teeth snapping as if craving for a bite of their warm flesh.

Locking onto his target, Komuro's gaze hardened into cold steel, his body recalling the perfect technique and finesse to execute his adversary. Leaping onto a duct, Komuro flew upwards, and kicked off of a wall, gripping his bat in his hand.

Swinging with swift and brutal strength, Komuro's weapon was like a hammer smashing into fruit, causing its head to blow apart into rotten chips and chunks of dead flesh. The body fell down lifelessly with a sickening _splat_ , but Komuro did not stop running. In fact, he picked up his pace and moved forward with considerable speed.

Seeing three more foes in front of them, Komuro nodded to his two comrades, who returned his gesture, drawing their weapons and ready for combat, fire in their eyes as they rushed towards their foes.

Saeko was quick to engage. As she neared one of _them_ , it happened in a near instant, a blink of an eye. Her blade was drawn at that moment, and as its severed head touched the floor, she was already putting down the second one with the skill of a master swordswoman.

Takashi observed Saeko's work and smiled. Even after a year of fighting, he could count on her to wreak her judgment.

"Takashi!" Komuro turned to face the voice that called him, crossing eyes with Rei. Looking ahead, Komuro could see another one of _them_ , shambling towards them with a gurgle in its throat.

Takashi said nothing but smiled with a silent nod. Rei saw this and did the same in reply, and they moved in on their prey. Rei leaped into the air and kicked, smashing a heel into the back of the skull, then propped both soles against the nape and jumped with a flip.

Komuro followed closely behind, releasing a battle cry as he swung his weapon. The bat slammed against the corpse's forehead, sending its head flying backward, causing the spine to arch as Rei landed on her feet with her rifle in hand.

Redirecting her weapon behind her, the blade of the bayonet punched through the neck as its head flew towards her. And in one swift movement, Rei sliced the throat open, feeling the cold tar of blood splash on her face and coat.

Getting up, she said nothing to her male counterpart but gave him a grin with an added thumbs-up as a way of thanks, to which he returned her gesture as they continued on their way.

Continuing to traverse the rooftops, the trio continued on their way, picking off a few enemies on their way. But soon, Komuro's watch released a buzz. Recognizing his alarm, he checked his wrist.

It was 3:00. Komuro gulped the air in his mouth in fear. They were running out of time and they had to get to the drop site as fast as they could.

But as he was thinking to himself, he felt a hand grab him by the collar of his shirt, causing him to choke, but he had no time to turn his head and complain, as his feet were barely off the edge of the building, where the nearest rooftop was around 10 meters away from their position, a road infested with a horde of Biters sitting between them.

"Thanks, Saeko." Komuro said to the owner of the aforementioned hand, regaining his footwork as he dusted himself off, shaking his legs.

"My pleasure. So, what's the plan now?" The swordswoman asked their leader, her hand resting on her hip as she awaited Komuro's answer.

Komuro paused for a minute, scanning the horde of undead standing in between them and their next destination. He saw that the majority of them were the average Biter, with bald heads, decayed flesh and walking in a mindless shamble. He saw no Virals, but that was to be expected. Barely anybody ventured out into these areas, and even if there was anyone that did, they'd been infected too long to remain as dangerous.

He saw a couple Toads, their bloated, greenish bodies making him nauseous as he heard their gurgling croaks fill the air. He looked longer, and caught sight of some Bombers as well, with their exposed insides bulging from their stomachs, threatening to explode at any moment.

However, he looked at the elephant in the room; a gigantic, muscular Demolisher. Its massive body was rippling with muscle, its arms large like tree trunks, threatening to snap his body in two like a toothpick.

Thinking quickly, he reached into his pack and retrieved a small firecracker and his lighter. Nodding to the two girls, they nodded back once they recognized his signal to move.

Lighting the fuse, Komuro tossed the object into the street, near the crossroad. All of a sudden, _they_ all jerked their heads in the direction of the loud noise and began to mindlessly shuffle towards the lone firecracker, leaving a section of the street empty as they moved in unison.

Taking their cue, Komuro, Rei, and Saeko snuck into the street, attempting to be as quiet, yet as quickly as possible. Their knees were curled to their stomachs as they treaded softly as quickly as they could to reach the other side of the street.

Takashi held his bat close to his chest and stepped carefully, stepping over plastic bags billowing in the wind and crushed soda cans. He willed his leg muscles to clench tightly, softening his steps as much as possible, as did his friends.

Saeko was nearly silent, like an owl in the night. She was absolutely calm and made no misplaced steps as she crossed the street, almost casually. Rei, on the other hand, was trying her best but was trying not to trip or stumble as she held her rifle with both hands just in case something happened.

And sure enough, as she walked past a corpse on the side of the road, she felt a grimy hand latch on to her ankle, causing her to let out a yelp in surprise as she aimed her rifle at the Biter's head and pushed the bayonet through its skull, silencing it.

However, she looked at her friends' faces of horror in front of her and then screamed as she looked behind her to see the entire horde shambling towards them in response to the noise she made.

Looking straight at Komuro with fear in her eyes, she froze in terror, awaiting a response. And a second later after looking her back in the eyes, he gave it.

"RUN!"

With that, everybody jumped up on their feet and dashed toward the nearest building. With no window ledges low enough to hold onto, Komuro ran ahead towards the door.

Kicking it open with as much strength as he could, the door swung open, letting his two partners rush in before him as the horde closed in. Komuro reached for the handle to close the door, but it was too late as a Biter managed to stop the door with an outstretched hand.

Komuro's eyes widened as he pushed harder against the door, hoping that it would stop, but he heard Rei calling out to him.

"Takashi! That Demolisher out there's gonna break this place down! We've gotta hurry!"

With some hesitation, Komuro pressed his hands against the door and pushed off, trying to move away from the floor as fast as he could. The Biters all flooded in one by one, their groans echoing throughout the building as the trio sprinted down the stairs as fast as they could.

Reaching the basement, they could hear the Biters closing in, along with a few growls and roars of Virals. Picking up the pace, they opened a door, leading to a long underground tunnel.

Rei quickly reached a hand to her harness, flicking a switch on one of the devices strapped to her chest. Turning on a flashlight, a cone of light lit up the path in front of them, continuing into the sewers.

Continuing to run, Komuro panted and gasped for air as he sprinted until he heard a distinctly human roar echo off the caverns. Suddenly, part of the ceiling gave way, causing a body to drop to the floor.

It rose up, revealing what appeared to be a person, but distinctly pale, with blackened blood dripping from its snarling mouth and blackened eyes. The Viral continued to convulse in violent spasms, before staring directly at them and roaring, running towards them at full speed with its arms swinging, followed by a pack of more.

Feeling sweat drip down his neck, Komuro brought out his trump card. Flicking a button on his bat, he heard the distinct hum of the battery on his bat come to life, causing sparks to dance on the barbed wire.

Screaming his battle cry, Komuro slammed the end of the electrically charged weapon against the skull of a Viral, drawing blood and bringing it to the floor, convulsing violently from the electrical shock.

Following that, he pressed a boot against the skull of another Viral, jumping off and leaping into the air. With his descent, Komuro raised his bat again, smashing it down onto another Viral, causing its cranium to blow apart into bloody chunks.

Saeko's eyes narrowed with deadly malice, pressing a switch on her katana to reveal her trump card. She heard the spritz of the spray, then flicked the switch, setting the fuel alight. All of a sudden, flames licked at her sword, illuminating her surroundings as she brought the weapon up with both hands.

Without a word, Saeko used her katana to slice through the Virals like butter, chopping their heads and limbs off one by one, bringing a sadistic smile to her bloodied face. However, a Viral managed to grab ahold of her, but in just a second, she heard the loud bang, followed by the squelch of a bullet against flesh.

"Got your back, sister!" Turning, she saw Rei smiling with a nod as she held down her smoking rifle.

"Thanks." That was all Saeko said to her with a kind smile, before catching up with Komuro down the tunnel as the horde of Biters followed close behind.

The group of three continued to run as fast as they could, turning left and right, killing any undead in their way as they continued on, going as fast as their legs could possibly carry them.

But then, _it_ appeared. Dropping from the ceiling into the lightless tunnel, Komuro, Saeko, and Rei immediately stopped, frozen in fear.

The monster stood on its hind legs, hoisting an almost skinless, yet athletic and muscular body upright. Its chest was exposed fully, leaving decayed muscle tissue and bone bare, protected by its exposed ribcage, which opened and closed like a biting jaw.

Its head was bald with scabs all over, with yellowed, bloodshot eyes twitching madly and a slithering tongue snaking from between a split lower jaw, both sides snapping together horizontally like an insect's mandibles.

The monster stared directly at the trio, leaving even Saeko to stare in terror. Then, the horrific undead known as the Volatile unleashed a powerful roar from its lungs, spitting tar-like phlegm from its throat.

Thinking as quickly as he could, Komuro unlatched a certain item from his belt and pointed it directly at the beast. Pressing the button, a dim, purple, beam of light shone from it, coating the Volatile in ultraviolet light.

The Volatile screeched in anguish, raising its arms to block the scorching beam, the flesh on its body glowing brightly and smoking from the effects of the light. Using that precious pocket of time, Komuro reached into his pack with his free hand, retrieving a thin tube, tearing off the tip with his teeth.

With that, the flare was lit and Komuro threw the small device at the Volatile, causing it to reel back in pain.

"GO, GO, RUN, RUN, RUN!" Komuro suddenly yelled as loudly as he could, picking up his bat and running as fast as he could. That flare wouldn't stall this thing for long, and they always had to have one hell of a headstart with the Volatiles.

The trio was now running faster than they ever had before, now literally running from certain death. There were unspoken rules in this new hellish world, and there was always one rule everybody learned to stand by:

NEVER. GO OUT. AFTER DARK.

 _They_ and only the absolute deadliest of _them_ ruled the night. The Volatiles were stronger, faster, tougher, and thousands of times deadlier than the rest of _them_ , even on par with the very best of the Runners. And their only weakness was ultraviolet light, imprisoning them from the sunlit day.

Every survivor in the city feared the Volatile, and seeing one in the flesh would almost certainly result in a swift and painful death. That is unless you were a master athlete and carried a handy set of UV gear.

Running as fast as he could, Komuro looked behind him to see not only one terrifying Volatile gaining on him with horrific speed but an entire ravenous pack, attracted by the monster's guttural roars.

The monstrous creatures followed in close pursuit, their muscular legs running at the speed of trained athletes, nearly catching up to the trio, their clawed hands reaching and grasping for their flesh.

Komuro looked ahead, and saw the end of the tunnel, dangling over a bottomless pit. There was a metal ladder hanging from the ceiling, leading up to a small manhole exit. But below was no floor, but a pit leading downwards with sewage gushing from pipes into the abyss.

And to top it all off, between the three of them and salvation was a ledge and several meters of free space.

However, Komuro felt no fear and willed his legs to run even faster, nodding to his friends to confirm their preparation. In response, the two women nodded back fearlessly, preparing themselves for the plan.

Saeko ran ahead, her feet swiftly treading across the wet floor, nearing the ledge for the jump. Sheathing her katana, the swordswoman reached into a pouch to retrieve a flare. Snapping off the edge with her other hand, Saeko lit the flare, releasing ultraviolet light from the end.

Nearing the edge, Saeko threw the flare to the ground and jumped, reaching for the nearest railing with her hand. Feeling her body soar through the air, Saeko felt fear leave her body as she left herself to trust her feelings, letting them guide her instincts.

Suddenly, she grabbed hold of a railing, grasping the bar with an iron grip. Looking back, she saw Komuro and Rei following close behind, prepping for the daring jump. But she could also see the Volatiles trailing behind them, getting even closer.

Komuro was ready for the jump as he saw Saeko's outstretched hand, but he looked behind his shoulder to see Rei with fear in her eyes, obviously afraid to make the death-defying leap.

With this, he didn't stop running, but gave a comforting smile, trying to drown out the approaching roars of the Volatiles behind them.

"Rei, I'll catch you. I swear to you, I'll catch you and never let go of you again. Not this time."

Rei's eyes widened, remembering the promise they made all those years back, far before Z-Day as well as their days in high school when she broke that promise. She looked into Komuro's eyes, and she could see it.

This was still the same Komuro she promised to marry back in their kindergarten days. The same Komuro she had left for Hisashi. The same Komuro that saved her time and time again from _them_. The same Komuro she trusted with all her heart.

Nodding with a smile, Rei ran, letting Komuro overtake her, seeing him leap over the large gap, reaching for Saeko's outstretched hand. Komuro's hand latched onto Saeko's, keeping him from plunging downwards into the abyss below.

This time, he reached out a hand to Rei, who was the last on the ledge, the Volatiles following closely behind, scratching at the tips of her hair. Rei was still afraid, and she could almost feel her knees buckling as she sprinted towards salvation.

But she looked into Komuro's eyes, then at his outstretched hand, and she felt safe. Feeling her feet push off of the ledge, she reached out to the boy she swore her heart to and held on tight.

Meanwhile, behind them, the Volatiles tried to take the leap as well, but the flare Saeko had dropped stunned them as they leaped, throwing them off their balance and leaving them to fall down the endless darkness below.

Their howls and screeches echoed off the walls, and soon enough, the Volatiles that didn't jump gave a final roar before running backward, giving up on their prey. Soon enough, the tunnels were silent, leaving only a human chain hanging from the ladder.

There was silence for a minute, and then Rei began to giggle to herself from the sheer adrenaline of their previous situation before Komuro joined in with a hearty laugh, and pretty soon, everyone was laughing to themselves, thrilled to be alive from the experience.

After that, the trio climbed up the ladder and Saeko pushed open the manhole cover, exposing herself to sunlight once more. Komuro and Rei popped up not too long after, but as Komuro looked over the horizon to see the orange sky, his breath stopped as he looked down on his wrist to check his watch.

His eyes widened as he checked the time and he called out to his friends.

"Guys! Hurry! We don't have much time left!"

With that, Rei and Saeko nodded to each other and continued on their initial course, running toward their destination behind the young man.

* * *

 **Central Tokyo,** **Shinjuku Ward** **"Hell's Garden", 1 year post-Z-Day**

The place survivors now dubbed "Hell's Garden" was formerly one of the busiest areas of the city, hosting thousands upon thousands of visitors and residents alike. Now, it was a shell of its former glory, much like the rest of the city.

Once proud buildings were in shambles, leaving only tattered and overgrown ruins of the city it once was. Ash and corpses littered the streets, untended to and left to fester in the sun.

It still was crowded in a way, with Biters and other undead crowded throughout the empty streets, standing still in some sort of stasis, waiting for prey to come near.

Fortunately, Komuro and his companions were far from the ground, leaping across the rooftops, nearing their target destination ever more so by the second.

Komuro ran and ran, feeling his legs buckling weakly as he pushed further. He was sweating buckets and to put it simply, he was absolutely drained from outrunning an entire pack of Volatiles. But he couldn't afford to give up when he was so close, and his two friends knew that just as well.

And of course, his perseverance paid off, and as he scaled over the final ledge, he slumped his body over it, staring up at the sky and too exhausted to move his body.

Looking to the side, he smiled to see the most beautiful sight he'd seen all day: two large, yellow crates resting beside one another, with a pair of flares sitting beside them and emitting the pillar of colored smoke to signal their location.

Komuro could barely even hold in laughter, thrilled to finally reach his destination. All the hard work and brushes with death and they had made it.

Saeko and Rei joined him, panting heavily and stopping to breathe. Patting Komuro on the shoulder, Rei smiled at him, then her other hand, sticking up her pinky finger.

Komuro was initially confused but remembered. Smiling back, the boy linked his little finger with hers, and the two's heads met, both of them happy to be with one another, and both of them happy to have made it together.

Saeko smiled at the scene too but walked off to check the contents of the crates. Opening them, her joy was quick to retreat.

Looking inside the crates, she found nothing. Any supplies or food that had once been in them was completely gone. Gritting her teeth in rage, Saeko slammed the lid down and sat down to collect her thoughts and calm down.

"D-dammit… all that for nothing…!" Saeko muttered, still trying to retain her stoic and calm face.

Komuro was alerted to their situation and groaned intensely, but a beep from his radio caught his attention. Retrieving his radio from his pocket, he pressed the button and was greeted by gargling static, but could make out Saya's shrill and assertive voice.

"Komuro! You're okay! Thank goodness! So what happened? Did you do it?"

Komuro paused, then sighed with regret and replied. "No. We were too late."

"Dammit! W-well don't beat yourself up over it. I'm sure we can make the next one. Looks like I'll need to break the news." Saya said, causing Komuro to sigh deeply.

But suddenly, another noise grabbed his attention, one that Komuro dreaded particularly. Jerking his eyes down to his watch, he felt his heart drop for mere second.

It was it. That hell before with the Volatiles would only be the beginning.

"Saya… we've got bigger problems to deal with. We'll contact you once we reach a safehouse, and if we don't make it, take care of Alice for us." Komuro said, quickly packing his things and strapping his UV flashlight to his chest.

"W-wha- Komuro, what?!" Saya sputtered, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Saya… it's nighttime."

Takagi said nothing, leaving a grim silence, interrupted only by the distant roars of Volatiles emerging from their shelters.

"Komuro… good night… and good luck."

* * *

 **Up next: Beginnings!**

 **Hey there! I've had this idea spinning around in my head for a while ever since I finished HOTD, and here it is! I think that for now, this chapter will be all, but I hope to continue with this story. I have other crossover ideas in mind, as well as two more stories already in progress! Anyways, I wanna know what you think, what you wanna see, and I'll see you… NEXT TIME! BYE-BYE!**


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